Furniture top construction



ec. 2, 194 1. J. H. PAGE ET AL 2,264,401

FURNITURE TOP CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 19, 1938 I I I 0 2/ w p I W iMp W jg@a Patented Dec. 2, 1941 FURNETURE TOP CONSTRUCTEQN John H. Page, Muskegon, and John S. Burdick,

North Muskegon, Mich, assigncrs to The Shaw- Walker Company, Muskegon, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Applicaticn October 19, 1938, Serial No. 235,840

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in composite furniture top construction, and particularly to the edge and corner molding used in conjunction with such construction. The invention as shown herein, though not limited thereto, is applied to desk top construction, and more particularly to desks fabricated of metal.

While metal provides an eificient and longwearing structure capable of suitable decoration to imitate various fine woods and is capable of such design and rigidity as to provide smooth, complementary rails and runways on the drawers and pedestals, it is not a desirable material for the top of a desk. It is cold and uncomfortable to the touch. Wood is much to be preferred to metal for the top of a desk.

An object of the present invention is to provide a top for a desk or other furniture made of metal in which the fiat metal plate constituting the top wall of the structure is covered with a panel, preferably a wood veneer panel, which is finished at its edges by a molding of wood or other material simulating wood, so constructed and held together that the top will have all the finish, texture, appearance and warmth to the touch, as well as en edge finish, as if it were a solid panel of wood. The desk top will thus present a heavy, finished and solid wood appearance.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective fragmentary view of one corner of a piece of furniture, in this case and as illustrated, a desk provided with a top embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective fragmentary view of such top construction with parts broken away to more clearly show the several parts constituting the same.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view through the top in a plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view showing a section similar to Figure 3 of a modified form of theinvention.

Referring now to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, and particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3: l indicates the metal body of a piece of furniture, in this case a desk. This is a familiar sheet metal structure suitably treated except as to its flat top plate H to simulate the appearance of the wood veneer which is to provide the surface of the desk top. The top plate H is provided at each edge with 2. depending angular flange I2. The horizontal member E3 of said flange projects beyond the ends and front and back of the metal body of the desk.

l4 indicates a wood veneer covered panel.

Said panel is of the same dimensions as the flat metal top plate H, to which it is firmly secured in any familiar manner as by glue or other adhesive. In the preferred form the panel l4 consists of a fibre board base Id covered by a thin sheet of veneer M I5 indicates edge finishing moldings which are preferably made of wood but may be of other material. They are rounded on their top and forward sides and are formed at the rear and bottom to seat in the depending angular flanges l2, to which they are secured by screws It as shown Figure 3. A thin strip of metal I! is preferably welded or otherwise attached to the depending angular flange l2. Said strip extends above the level of the plane of the metal top plate H, so that its stands in abutting relation to the edge of the panel 54. Said panel has a beveled edge It", and the metal strip 11 is turned back on itself as indicated at 53 to conform to and engage said beveled edge.

In Figure 4 a modification is shown wherein the panel M has a vertical edge lll This is engaged by a metal strip ll interposed as in the first case between the upright member of the angle plate l2 and held in place between that and the molding 55 by the screw l6.

To provide the continuity of the molding about the corners of the desk, any familiar treatment may be used. In the construction illustrated, corner pieces 15* are applied to the four corners of the top.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description that the novel furniture top will appear to be made of solid wood finished off at the edges by the molding I5 which appears to indicate the thickness of said top. A massive, heavy appearance is thus given to said top, and the panel which provides the surface of said top is really of wood where a wood veneer panel is used, and has all the advantages and appearance of a top made entirely of wood.

We claim as our invention:

A composite top for furniture consisting of a fiat metal plate provided at its edges with depending angular flanges and of a panel secured to said metal plate, a molding secured in the external angle of said depending angular flanges in finishing relation to said top, and a thin metal strip interposed between said molding and said depending angular flanges, said metal strip rising above the plane of said metal plate and being turned back upon itself to present an offset for close engagement with the edges of said panel.

JOHN H. PAGE. JOHN S. BURDICK. 

